People and baiting

[schmoe147]

Went to FF yesterday to pick up some ammo. I was and am amazed every year at how many people are walking out the doors with bait. In the 10 minutes I was there I can honestly say I saw at least 20 people leaving with some sort of bait either Cmere Deer, Buck Jam, Acorn rage and many other forms of bait. Do these people not realize that it is illegal. Sorry just really bothers me that people have the I dont care attitude when it comes to baiting.

[RBuker]

What I think is so funny is that back when baiting was legal, very few people bothered with it. Now everyone is under the impression it's the only way to see deer.

But, in truth, it does work very well. Back when it was legal I baited but only during the late archery season. Once the world is covered in snow, it's amazing how well a pile of corn works. I don't miss it though. It's not all that hard to position your stand someplace near natural or legal food sources.

[sticknstring]

Woodsmanship has definitely been removed from the equation for a lot of hunters. Pretty sad.

[CrewJones]

I hunt up in the UP of michigan where its legal, so maybe not everyone is buying bait for illegal purposes

[hockeybc69]

Some people are using for recreational at home, some stocking up for legal use in other states,and surely some using it in MN(some unknowing that it is in fact illegal).

I surely wouldnt worry too much about these people baiting in MN with a little jug of bait....

The ones dumping huge amounts of grains or other baits are far more likely to manipulate a deers habits.

Granted, baiting is baiting. I agree.

[CANOPY SAM]

I'm by no means an expert on this subject, and I've never bought a lick of this stuff myself, but I was under the impression that these little bags of "scented powder" or whatever they are, aren't illegal?

I think there's some loophole in the regs that allows a person to use this "substance" to attract deer, but it's not necessarily considered food, hence it's not considered baiting?

I totally and completely agree 100% with the post above. I don't even have private land to hunt, but it's really not difficult to observe deer movement, do some meaningful scouting, and position oneself repeatedly in locations to be successful at filling tags.

But I think we have to face the facts, people are getting more lazy by the day. I think there's a statistic out there somewhere that states something like 85% of big game hunters position themselves to hunt less then 100 yards from the nearest roadway.

[deerminator]

The rule of thumb is - is there any food in the product? Sugar and sweetners count as food. If so, it's illegal to hunt over. Plain old salt and minerals of any kind are not illegal.

As for people buying bait, the funny thing is, I myself was just considering buying an apple corn block from FF to put out in front of my camera as I tagged out a week ago from this Sunday and need something to do. So I'm scouting for next year already. And many of those people buying the bait could be hunting in Wisconsin or the Dakotas where I believe it is legal? I know Wisconsin for sure and North Dakota I believe.

[nofishfisherman]

Isn't it legal to have it out up until 2 weeks before the season?

I've never used the stuff either but always thought as long as you cleaned it up 2 week prior to the season you were still legal.

[jay83196]

I believe the law states you have to remove bait 10 days before you hunt could be guys buying it to put out a little now by a camera or to just bring some added traffic before gun opener. It may not be ethical to some but its not illegal unless bow hunting over it.

[MUSKY18]

Removal of Bait – All bait must be completely removed for ten days prior to hunting

Hunting Deer With Bait is Illegal

Hunters are not allowed to take deer with the aid or use of bait. “Taking” includes attempting to take.

Definitions

• Bait – includes grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay, or other food that is capable of attracting or enticing deer and has been placed by a person.

• Baiting – means placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering bait that is capable of attracting or enticing deer.

Important – Liquid scents (example – doe in heat), sprays, salt and minerals are not bait if they do not contain liquid or solid food products.

NOTE - read the ingredient label on all products prior to use. Many products contain food or attractants such as grains, fruits, and sugar derivatives (glucose, dextrose, and fructose). If a salt or mineral product has anything other than salt or mineral in it, it is illegal to use for hunting.

A person otherwise in compliance with this section who is hunting on private or public property that is adjacent to the property where bait or food is present is not in violation if the person has not participated in, been involved with, or agreed to baiting or feeding wildlife on the adjacent property.

Thats straight from the regs. Page 71 if you want to look it up yourself.

[nofishfisherman]

I was thinking about the issue of baiting on public land the other day. I hunt public land and I don't hunt until mid week after opener. The public land I hunt has hunters in it opening weekend and I've wondered what would happen if the opening weekend guys put out bait in the area.

I could easily walk out before first light and get set up in my stand and not be aware that they had put bait out and that there may still be illegal bait somewhere in the immediate area.

How would a CO handle that situation? It would be impossible for him to know that I wasn't the one who put it out and that I just happened to be hunting the area by coincidence.

Its probably a real long shot that this would happen and an even longer shot that a CO would just happen by at that time but it is just a "what if" that I was thinking about.

[Getanet]

I see your point, but it's probable that many of the people buying bait live in MN but hunt in WI.

When I first joined this site, I got into a discussion with folks about why bait shops sell anything larger than crappie minnows after the Game Fish season ends. Having never fished a river, it didn't dawn on me that it's perfectly legal to fish for game fish in MN after most of us put our ice fishing gear away.

[Bear55]

I think a lot of people just don't know any better, other than obvious bait like a bag of corn they think if it is sold in a store it is fair game. Other times they could be trying to get pics on camera. Last but not least, there are a bunch of people who don't care and are asking to have their guns confiscated.

[Musky Buck]

I simply think we have enough opportunity to harvest a deer without luring them to a pile of food miles off the road or not. We have plenty of days in the field if you want to hunt by bow,rifle,muzzy you can. You should have an opportunity to harvest a deer without bait if you put in your time. Baiting has definitely played a part in my area, good for the baiters, bad for us that would never cheat. Now being in a 1 deer area, if we had baiting legal I think we'd some years be applying for lottery hoping to get to hunt because the bait works way way to well in our northern state like this year corn off plowed under, those piles will really work this year, I hope the CO's make hay.

[bigbucks]

I know I'm going to be off topic, but I digress. When I saw this topic I was thinking, would you use fresh pizzas, Snickers bars, Peanut MM's, maybe beer for some guys? I suppose someone will really digress & say women or something along those lines. I was still thinking about food, just what you would use to bait people. Fresh popcorn could be a good cheap option...

Better yet a sign that says, buy one get one free...

[mnguy152]

remeber alot of people do hunt wisc. and it is legal there to bait.

You should see how many pallets of corn they have in front of the c store for sell for $20 a bag.

[nonteepical]

i think if it's illegal in your state, it should be illegal to sell during open hunting seasons. another problem is alot of the "salesman" are 16 year old idiots... "yeah it's legal" another one is: "the guy at FF said i could use it". make them pull it off the shelves.

[jay83196]

So is drinking and driving and smoking in public places....should we start up prohibition and pull cigarettes off the shelf? We have enough laws and controls in place don't need more, I agree baiting isn't fair when people are breaking the law, and we work hard not too thats why CO's have jobs and the tip line is in place if you see it call it in.

[Grayfox]

Only about 1/2 the state of Wisconsin is legal to bait in at this time so you need to pay attention where your hunting. Polk, Burnett,Barron and Washburn counties are the latest in the ban so If you're border jumping, just a heads up.

Rob

[RumRiverRat]

I love the 50 pound bags of corn with pictures of Giant Bucks on them that FF sells.

[skee0025]

I dont bait even though it's allowed where I hunt. I understand why some people do it where they are not supposed to. I have spoken to people who have done it and to sum up their answers it was to counter the affects that food plots have had on the deer movement in their areas.

[rkhinrichs]

one can always use baiting to your advantage. First people who hunt over bait usually over hunt the spot. Which make deer go nocturnal or move to other areas. if you know the movements of your neighbor baiting times and maybe you can use that to your advantage to.

[deerminator]

I know I'm going to be off topic, but I digress. When I saw this topic I was thinking, would you use fresh pizzas, Snickers bars, Peanut MM's, maybe beer for some guys? I suppose someone will really digress & say women or something along those lines. I was still thinking about food, just what you would use to bait people. Fresh popcorn could be a good cheap option...

Better yet a sign that says, buy one get one free...

I like it! I think some beer and Papa Murphy's Pizza would pretty much be my ending.

Per the 10 day rule. I get a kick out of that. Along my drive to work in the morning, off a busy county road, I see a feeder near a grove of trees. It is there all year long pretty much, EXCEPT for the 10 days before gun season and then reappears shortly thereafter the season ends. I often see deer feeding within sight of the road without a care in the world. They often cross the road at that spot too. In fact, I hit two small does at the same time one morning with my car there a few years back. I have learned to be on high alert on that stretch. Anyway, there are box stands all over the countryside nearby, half a dozen I think. Just kind of funny. That 10 day rule isn’t changing their travel pattern much. The other 11 months or so of the year dictate it. If you’re not going to allow baiting, then maybe it’s time to get a little tougher and say all feeding stops from May until January or something like that. Plenty of other food around in the warmer months.

[fowldreams]

Money drives it all. You cant open any publication or watch any episode of any kind of pursuit with out these products being thrown in your face. I just think people see this stuff so much they think thats what you have to do. Who knows. Until stiffer penalties appear, the problems arent going away.

[Scott K]

So then why not allow it? I hunt in Wisconsin where they allow baiting. But I also put in food plots, and throw out some hay in the cold winter months for them. Do I get a few more deer in my area because I supply them with food? I am sure I do. But others do it as well, so it is an even playing field. I dont see anything wrong with feeding them, or baiting them. Some peoples lands you have to bait them in to get deer to move in the area.

My land, I own a small chunk of land in the middle of a woods. Down the road a mile, there is a huge corn field, and alph alpha field. He also plants deer plots, then he has large stands up all around the fields. How am I to compete with him? Why would the deer ever come over into my parcel, when they have everything they need right there?

I have since added a couple food plots, planted apple trees, opened up a small watering hole, opened up lanes into my property, to make deer travel easier. I will also throw out feed for them as well. By doing this, I draw a couple deer from his field to my property, and we can shoot a couple deer each year. Feeding/baiting gives the small guys a chance, they cant get, because they cant legally throw food out like the farmers can.